


The Night We Met

by SheElevatesMe



Category: The 100, clexa - Fandom
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Friendship, Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-05-31 07:00:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6460381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheElevatesMe/pseuds/SheElevatesMe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU Clarke and Lexa.<br/>Both have established lives. Late twenties, early thirties.<br/>They meet one night....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa meet.

She leans forward to sip from the drink. Her lips wrap delicately around the tips of two skinny black straws. Her eyes cross a little as she watches the liquid in her glass recede. A few strands of wavy blonde hair brush against her cheeks.

As she parts her lips, Clarke looks ahead and catches her reflection in the sliver of mirror that outlines the shelves full of every alcohol imaginable. She stares at herself for a few seconds before shaking her head and swiveling on the bar stool, reaching for her coat. But just as she's about to step down, she feels a hand on her arm.

"Hey, gorgeous, what's your hurry?"

Clarke's eyes follow the hand to the arm and the arm to the shoulder...

"You know, I've been watching you since you walked in"

Clarke gently pulls away from the stranger's hand and clears her throat. "I was just leaving..."

"No no no. You need another drink" the woman insists, sliding onto the stool next to her. "What'll you have?" she asks, signaling for the bartender.

"No, really, thanks but I..."

The hand comes back and grasps Clarke's forearm, a little more tightly. "I think that you and me are meant to be, blondie. I'm going to buy you breakfast tomorrow morning"

And just as Clarke is about to yank her arm away, she feels another hand slide across the small of her back.

"Sorry that call took so long, babe"

Clarke's head spins to see another - taller and more attractive - stranger standing to her left.

"You made a new friend while I was away, I see"

Clarke's brow furrows as she looks back and forth between the women. It's then that the hand on her back slides up onto her shoulder and rests there.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Whoa" the first woman says, raising her hands and backing off the bar stool, "I didn't know you were here with someone. You could've said something" she tells Clarke incredulously.

Clarke shrugs and smiles insincerely at the aggressive stranger as she walks away.

The hand on her shoulder slides back down and off. Clarke turns towards the beautiful stranger and smiles small but gratefully. "Thanks"

The woman plops down onto a bar stool and returns Clarke's small smile. "You're welcome" she nods. "It may have been a bit presumptuous of me, but you looked pretty uncomfortable"

"I was" Clarke admits, "but I could've handled it"

The woman smirks. "I have no doubt about that"

Clarke stares into reflective gray eyes a little longer than necessary.

"Drink?" the woman offers.

Clarke shakes her head quickly. "No, thank you. I really should be going"

"You only just arrived"

"Oh, so you were watching me too?" combative.

"You're kind of hard to miss" the woman replies with a straight face. "I'm Lexa, by the way" holding out her hand.

Clarke glances at the extended limb and back up to gray eyes, which now look pale green. Her shoulders relax and she meets Lexa's hand with her own. "Clarke" is all she says.

"Clarke" the woman repeats. "It's nice to meet you, Clarke"

Green eyes hold blues' attention.

"Are you sure you can't stay for one drink? At least finish the one you started...think of it as a thank you to me for chasing off your worst nightmare"

Clarke looks away and disengages their hands. The sides of her mouth turn up and she nods. "Sure, yeah"

Lexa knocks twice on the bar to attract the bartender's attention.

"What's your poison, ladies" the bartender asks, waggling her eyebrows at Lexa and setting down two small napkins with the bar's name, _Indra's_ , written across them in rainbow font.

Lexa rolls her eyes at the girl behind the bar. "Clarke, this is a good friend of mine, Octavia"

"You forgot 'best damn bartender this side of the Hudson'" Octavia grins.

"She's always been a dreamer" Lexa quips.

Octavia glares at her friend, and Clarke relaxes even more and shakes hands with the short girl behind the bar.

"Did you want me to top off that Diet Coke for you...?"

"Oh, no, I'm good. I can't stay very long" Clarke says, and begins to nurse her drink.

"Well I'm in the mood for a nice red" Lexa announces. "What do you recommend, O?"

"I have just the bottle for you" Octavia flashes a toothy smile and tilts her head toward Clarke.

Lexa furrows her brow and shakes her head dismissively. Octavia winks back as she walks away.

"So...Clarke. That's an unusual name for a woman. I do believe you're the first femme-Clarke I've met...but I'm sure you hear that quite often"

Clarke's lips slide off the straw and she turns to face Lexa just long enough to answer, "Yes, I get that a lot. I'm named after my paternal great-grandmother - her maiden name"

Octavia returns with the wine and Lexa is studying - an apparently very thirsty - Clarke. Octavia mouths something to Lexa, to which Lexa waves her off, shooing her dark-haired friend away.

"May I offer you a taste?"

Clarke sucks down the remainder of her drink, the straw filling with a mixture of air and melted ice droplets, causing a sound only impolite children make in public. Once her crutch is gone, she sits up and politely refuses the dark red beverage. Lexa swirls the liquid in the wine glass, smelling it briefly before taking a sip.

"Well?!" a raspy voice shouts from the other end of the bar.

Lexa gives Octavia a thumbs up.

"You must come here often" Clarke says, finally engaging in small talk.

"Why do you say that?

"You're friends with the bartender..."

"Ah, right" Lexa takes another sip of wine and places the glass on the bar. "Actually, I've known Octavia for many years"

"Sorry, I didn't meant to insinuate..."

"No, it's a perfectly logical conclusion" Lexa says, but interrupts herself to take another sip of wine. "Rest assured..." another sip "I do not frequent this bar nor any other. Truth be told, I haven't been here in...quite some time"

Clarke pokes at the ice cubes in her glass with a straw. "What brought you back tonight?"

Lexa swivels her seat to face Clarke, getting lost in blue eyes. "That is a question for which I have no answer" Lexa pauses, pursing her lips. "Dare I say, a feeling? Can that be a legitimate reason?"

Clarke breaks the stare and focuses back on the fascinating ice in her glass. "I think so" she smiles, glancing back at sparkling eyes.

"I think the more important question is, Clarke, why are you here tonight? Because it's quite obvious you'd rather be anywhere but"

Clarke stops fidgeting with the straw and sighs. "I kind of got pushed into it, by a friend"

"I see. And why did your friend feel the need to push you?"

Clarke leans an elbow on the bar. "Mm, I haven't really been out...out of the house in a while, other than for work. I promised her that I would go somewhere, do something, talk to people"

"But you could have just gone to see a show or sat at a coffee house and your friend would have been none the wiser. Why here?"

"I wouldn't lie to her" Clarke says quickly, eyeing Lexa a little suspiciously. "Are you trying to ask me something indirectly?"

Lexa smirks, and Clarke notices it's the left side of her mouth that turns up.

"I'm not an indirect type person, Clarke. I was merely offering you the chance to explain the reason you came to a bar when you clearly..."

"I had the cab drop me off at the corner and I just started walking" Clarke interrupts. "I didn't have a plan. But when I walked passed the entrance... something pulled me back. And here I am"

All of the sudden Octavia appears out of nowhere, wiping the bar with a cloth.

"Subtle" Lexa frowns.

Octavia feigns innocence.

"I tell you, Clarke, I know all about pushy friends"

"I am being so good right now!" Octavia defends, and walks away in a huff.

This draws a chuckle from both women.

"Well, I should really be going" Clarke begins to put on her coat. "Thanks for, you know..."

"The very least you can do is wait until I finish my glass" Lexa raises her half-full wine glass.

"I'm sorry" Clarke says, buttoning her coat, "I need to get home, it's getting late"

Lexa glances at her Patek Phillipe. "It's 9:30"

Clarke wraps her neck in a blue scarf. "I have a class in the morning" picks up her purse, "but it was very nice meeting you, Lexa. Enjoy your evening"

Lexa nods once. "You as well"

Clarke flashes a small smile before walking away. Lexa watches her leave while tapping her short, manicured fingernail on the edge of the bar. She picks up her glass and downs the rest of the wine, setting the glass down firmly. She turns to seek out Octavia, locking eyes with the brunette bartender. And Lexa doesn't need to say anything. Octavia reaches down behind the bar and retrieves Lexa's coat, tossing it to her.

"Hurry!" she encourages.

Lexa puts on her coat as she walks swiftly toward the door.

She isn't hard to find. The air is bitterly cold and there aren't many people outside. Lexa takes a deep breath and walks up behind her.

"I guess I felt like leaving too"

Clarke jumps at the voice. She turns, a husky laugh escaping her, the hot air from her mouth clouding the space between them.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you"

"No, it's fine. You're fine"

An awkward silence passes.

"There aren't any cabs..." Clarke finally says.

"They don't usually come down this way this time of night. You'd have to walk back to the avenue" Lexa informs, and reaches for her phone.

"Okay, thanks for the tip" and Clarke begins to step away.

"But there's an Uber less than two minutes away" Lexa says, holding the phone so Clarke can see it, "would you care to share a ride?"

Clarke shakes her legs in an attempt to warm herself. "Umm"

"It's literally around the corner"

"Sure, why not. Anything to get out of this cold!"

Lexa laughs through her nose, "I'll try not to take that the wrong way" she says, tapping the screen on her phone.

Clarke doesn't have time to respond. The car pulls up and they fumble into it and out of the cold.

"Can you please turn up the heat" Clarke asks the driver, as she rubs her hands together.

The driver obliges. "Where to, ladies?" he asks, looking through the rear view mirror.

Lexa looks at Clarke and gestures to her. "Let's drop you first"

Clarke gives the driver an address and the car pulls away.

"I think I'm finally thawing" Clarke jests a mile into the ride, unraveling the scarf from around her neck. "I don't remember it ever being this cold"

"Coldest day of the year" the driver chimes in, "or so the weather guy says"

Clarke acknowledges the information by smiling and making eye contact through the rear view. But Lexa is focused on watching Clarke. And Clarke can feel Lexa's eyes on her. She clears her throat, turning her attention to the city lights passing by.

"I thought you wanted to finish your wine" she says to the window.

"I finished it"

Clarke's eyes refocus. She can just make out Lexa's reflection in her window and she finds it difficult to focus her eyes back to the passing lights. Lexa can sense some uneasiness in Clarke.

"So what are you studying?"

Confused, Clarke faces Lexa.

"You said you have a class in the morning"

"Oh, yeah, no, I... just started a new job, teaching art history at The Institute of Fine Arts"

"NYU...that's impressive"

"Not really"

"Your resume must be quite extraordinary"

"Really, it isn't. I'm just filling in for one of the professors. She broke both legs in a skiing accident and I think they were desperate. I do hope it will lead to something permanent eventually"

"You're selling yourself short, Clarke. I know people on the board, they don't just hire anyone off the street"

A smile tugs at Clarke's lips. "Maybe" she says, and looks back out the window. The city lights capture her attention again as the cab passes over the Brooklyn Bridge. "I'll never get tired of how beautiful this city is at night"

Lexa hums in agreement. "It is rather magnificent"

The rest of the ride is spent in silence. Uncoordinated glances and smiles are exchanged every few minutes.

When they arrive at Clarke's destination in Queens, Lexa asks the driver to wait for her so she can walk Clarke to the front door of the modest two-story house.

"I think it's best if we say goodbye here" Clarke tells her as she hands Lexa some money.

"Oh" disappointed, "of course" smiles weakly. "And please, I'll handle the charge"

"No, I can't let you..."

"I insist" Lexa cuts her off.

Clarke puts the money back in her purse and exits the car. Lexa slides across the back seat, closer to the door.

"Well, thanks for keeping me company on the ride"

Lexa nods once. "The pleasure was mine" extends her hand, "goodnight, Clarke"

"Goodbye, Lexa"

Their hands linger, frozen for a moment, until Lexa squeezes gently and lets go. Blue eyes meet gray, now reflecting the dark of night. And with one last brief smile, Clarke walks away.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa returns to Queens.

Lexa picks up the small bag and exits the rear of the town car. There's a light on in the house and she contemplates if she should come back another day, another time, or maybe not at all. After all, Clarke had made it pretty clear that she wasn't interested in seeing her again when she said 'goodbye'. But Lexa felt compelled to come back, if only to return a forgotten item. It was the perfect excuse.

  
Lexa takes a deep breath, lifts her chin, and walks up to the front door. She presses the doorbell button and hears the chime go off inside the house. The lump in her throat won't be swallowed.

  
Suddenly the door swings open.

  
"Yeah?"

  
Lexa leans back and checks the number on the house. "Sorry, I...I'm looking for Clarke?"

  
The brunette in the doorway eyes Lexa questioningly. "What do you want with Clarke?"

  
Lexa becomes momentarily distracted by the smiling baby in the woman's arms.

  
"Hey! I asked you a question, lady. I don't have all day, I've got kids to ground"

  
The sound of whiny voices emerges from the house. "Yeah, you heard me!" the brunette yells behind her.

  
"I'm sorry. I just came to drop off her scarf. She left it in the taxi the other night"

  
The woman's expression shifts immediately. A smile forms on her face as she switches the baby from one hip to the other. "You mean she actually met someone? I thought she was lying to me. But you actually exist!" The woman cackles, looking like she's just won the lottery.

  
"Sorry, but does Clarke live here?"

  
"In hell?... No."

  
The sound of breaking glass startles both women and the baby.

  
"Here, hold this" the fiery brunette hands Lexa the baby and walks away, yelling into the house.

  
Lexa holds the baby at arm's length, unsure of what to do. The baby puts one of its small fists in its mouth and begins to gnaw on it.

  
"Does that taste good?" Lexa gently bounces the baby, still holding it straight out in front of her. The baby's legs begin to kick and flail so Lexa brings it closer, eventually holding her awkwardly against her chest. "You have beautiful blue eyes" she tells the baby, who babbles as it chews on its hand.

  
Lexa thinks she's finally getting the hang of holding the baby when the brunette returns. "Everything all right in there?" Lexa asks, still bouncing the baby.

  
"Oh, yeah...just another day at Casa de Collins" the woman says casually as she scribbles on a notepad with a red crayon. She tears off the top sheet and hands it to Lexa. "This is Clarke's address and phone number"

  
Lexa thinks about the best away to grab the paper without dropping the baby.

  
"Oh, here, I'll take her" the woman throws the pad and crayon on a small table next to the door and grabs the baby, exchanging the paper between them.

  
"Thanks" Lexa smiles, folding the paper and placing it in her coat pocket.

  
"You're going to call her, right?"

  
"I..."

  
"Better yet, just show up at her place"

  
"Well..."

  
"I'm Raven, by the way, Clarke's best friend and savior. I'm sure she mentioned me"

  
"Clarke's pushy friend" Lexa adds with a smirk.

  
"You got that right" Raven comes back, with a head full of attitude. "What's your name?"

  
"Lexa. Lexa Arbre"

  
"Well, Lexa, good luck. Do not let me down" points sternly at Lexa.

  
"I shall do my best"

  
"See that you do"

  
Lexa nods once and turns her attention to the baby, "Goodbye, little blue eyes" she waves at the baby like a baby and turns to leave.

  
"Hey legs!" Raven calls as Lexa opens the door to the town car. Lexa looks back. "If you hurt her I'll kill you!"

  
Lexa laughs a little nervously as Raven uses the baby's hand to wave goodbye.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A blue scarf is returned.

Clarke pours some uncooked pasta into the boiling water. She sets the timer and gives the red sauce a few stirs. She's just about to start on a salad when she hears a knock at the door.

  
Lexa stands outside the door, her legs fidgety. Her arms are crossed tightly over her chest as she tries to keep warm.

  
Inside, Clarke peeks out the non-frosted portion of the glass on the double doors. It takes her a moment to realize who is standing on the other side. And when she does, she backs away from the door, confused and flustered.

  
Lexa didn't see Clarke peek out, so she knocks again.

  
Clarke swallows hard, wondering what she should do.

  
Lexa finally decides to leave, but just as she's walking down the steps of the stoop, the door opens.

  
"Lexa?"

  
Lexa turns on the step. "Hello"

  
"What're you..."

  
"I, uh...you left your scarf in the car" Lexa explains, walking back up the steps. "It looked rather well worn so I thought you might want it back" Lexa hands Clarke the small paper bag.

  
Clarke smiles gratefully. "Thanks. It just happens to be my favorite scarf"

  
"I'm glad I made the effort, then"

  
Clarke tucks the bag under her arm. She's not sure what to do next.

  
Lexa kicks the heel of her pump into the concrete stoop. "Well, it was nice seeing you again, Clarke"

  
Clarke opens her mouth to respond when a voice from inside the house catches both women's attention. Lexa is surprised by the sound.

  
"Do you...want to come in?"

  
Lexa nods once. "Sure, yes, thanks"

  
Lexa steps in and clasps her hands behind her back while Clarke closes the door.

  
"This is a beautiful brownstone"

  
"Thanks. It's been in my family for a few generations. We're renovating it, only the first floor is finished, so it's kind of a mess" Clarke doesn't offer to take Lexa's coat. "Come in"

  
Lexa follows Clarke into the front room and sees the source of the voice. "I know you" she smiles and walks over to a playpen. "Hello, little blue eyes"

  
Clarke looks perplexed but doesn't have time to question Lexa because the sound of something in the kitchen distracts her. "Shit!" Clarke runs into the kitchen.

  
Lexa goes to follow her but the baby's "Ma ma ma ma ma" keeps her there. Little arms reach up and Lexa obliges.

  
"Did your mother pawn you off on Clarke?" she asks as she holds the baby up, smiling at the gurgles and mumbles the infant makes.

  
Lexa looks around what she thinks must be the living room, admiring the crown molding and the craftsmanship, but then she begins to notice other things... The playpen, a baby swing, a high chair, baby toys, a hamper full of unfolded baby clothes. And it dawns on her.

  
But the crash of metal coming from the kitchen keeps her from fully processing what she's seeing. She walks to the kitchen door to check on Clarke. "Are you okay?"

  
Clarke is bent over, picking up a lid from the dark wooden floor. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just being my usual disastrous self in the kitchen" she sighs.

  
"Can I help?"

  
When Clarke is upright she sees that Lexa is holding the baby. She isn't sure how to feel about it when the baby grabs at the top button of Lexa's coat and tries to chew on it. Especially since Lexa is smiling and looks very natural holding her.

  
And as if Lexa can read her mind, "You have a daughter, Clarke" Lexa tears her attention away from the baby to look at a conflicted Clarke.

  
"Yes"

  
"She's lovely"

  
"Thanks" Clarke says, putting the lid in the sink.

  
"What's her name?"

  
Clarke runs the water. "Amelia"

  
"Amelia" Lexa repeats, petting the back of the baby's fuzzy blonde head. "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl"

 

\------------------------------

 

"And then what happened?"

  
"The baby got fussy and she took her"

  
"And...?"

  
"And, O, she thanked me for bringing back her scarf. It was an obvious cue, so I said goodbye and showed myself out"

  
"That's it?"

  
"That's it"

 

\----------------------------------

 

"Why didn't you ask her to stay for dinner?"

  
"That would've been awkward, I hardly know her"

  
"Which is why you ask her to stay, so you can get to know her"

  
"I'm not ready for that"

  
"Jesus, Clarke. Dinner is not an invitation to stay forever. And you won't be ready until you test the water, babe"

  
"I'm just not ready, Raven"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mean to moderate comments, and now I don't know how to change it back without reposting?  
> Anyway, I would appreciate feedback! Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tea and coffee.

Clarke is glad the thaw has begun. The city had been under a white blanket for so long that she'd started to resent its beauty. But now the sun is creeping ever closer, spring is just around the corner, the cold is bearable, and Clarke is thankful she can finally walk long blocks instead of riding in a cab.

Lexa runs up to the crosswalk, checking her FitBit as she jogs in place, eventually slowing her legs down and shaking out the soreness in her calf muscles. She pushes back the cloth hood of her down vest and tilts her head back, hands on hips, panting, the hot breaths escaping into the cold air like smoke rings.

Clarke purses her lips as her eyes dart back and forth between the woman and the crosswalk signal. What are the chances, she thinks. In a city this big, what are the chances. On a crowded corner, as twenty people wait for the same light to change, what are the chances.

And so she reaches out.

Lexa's first instinct is to stiffen and shrug away the touch. But when her eyes make contact with Clarke's, she softens and turns to face her. Lexa smiles first.

The crowd around them pushes forward just then, the signal changing from red to green, and both women are forced to go with the flow or be trampled. They say nothing from corner to corner, until Clarke motions for Lexa to follow her to a less crowded area near the wall of a building.

"Clarke" Lexa nods once, then shrugs as she clasps her hands behind her back, "what are the chances"

This causes a small smile to appear on Clarke's lips. She looks down and away before meeting gray eyes once more. "Very low, I'd say"

A passer-by bumps into Lexa so she moves closer to the wall, leaning against it. "On your way to class?" is all Lexa can come up with.

It's an odd situation. It's been almost a month since Lexa had shown up at Clarke's door with her blue scarf, only to leave without any plans to ever see her again. She was sure she would never see Clarke again. She was sure Clarke never wanted to see her again. And she wouldn't have been the wiser that she had been standing right next to her had Clarke not made first contact.

"No, I don't have class on Fridays"

Lexa waits for Clarke to elaborate.

"I'm..." hesitates.

"You don't have to tell me where you're going" Lexa says, and changes the subject. "I was just about to grab a tea, care to join me?" Lexa motions with her head toward the building they're standing next to. A Starbucks.

Clarke checks her watch. "I have a few minutes, sure"

Lexa finds a small table in the corner by the window. She sheds her vest, track jacket and thermal top as she waits for Clarke to bring their drinks. She checks her phone for any important emails or messages.

Clarke waits near the counter, thinking it weird that it doesn't feel weird to be having this morning drink with a virtual stranger. When she's handed the drinks, Clarke hears Raven's voice echo in her head, and she decides then and there to approach the situation - to approach Lexa - with an open mind. And with a deep breath, she sets off to do just that.

"Your tea"

"Thanks" Lexa removes the lid to allow steam to escape. "And what did you get?"

Clarke takes off her coat and hangs it over the back of her chair and then inhales the scent of her beverage through the small drinking hole of the stiff paper cup. "Mmm, my guilty pleasure. A decaf caramel macchiato"

Lexa laughs and sips her tea carefully. "No morning caffeine boost?"

Clarke licks her lips after taking a small sip of the hot coffee. "I'm off caffeine. Trying to be, anyway"

"Because?"

"I'm still nursing my daughter"

"Oh. Ohhh"

Clarke just smiles and nods and takes a longer sip of her drink.

"How is Amelia?"

The mention of her daughter's name distracts Clarke from her drink. "You remember her name?"

Lexa furrows her brow, her mouth turning in the opposite direction. "Of course I do. Although I'm partial to 'blue eyes' myself"

And it makes Clarke feel bad.

"Lexa, I'm sorry"

"For what?"

  
"I...I wasn't very nice to you" Clarke scrapes the side of her paper cup with her thumb. "You went out of your way to be nice, to bring back my scarf and I..." deep sigh, "I just wasn't very welcoming"

There's a silence between them. Clarke looks out the large window at the hustle and bustle of a New York weekday morning, the sun reflecting off the melting snow causing her to squint.

Lexa replaces the lid on her drink. "I told you when we met that I'm not an indirect type person, Clarke, so I'll just say this" Lexa pauses until Clarke makes eye contact. "I wanted to see you again, and it's been a very long time since I wanted to see any woman again. So, you see, my motives were a little selfish"

Clarke pushes her drink to the center of the table and crosses her arms, leaning on it. "Lexa..."

But Lexa's phone begins to vibrate against the table. "Sorry" she says, answering it.

Clarke takes a few long drinks of her guilty pleasure before Lexa hangs up. "Sounds like you have to go"

"Yes. Work beckons"

"Where's work?"

Lexa grabs her track jacket, putting on one sleeve at a time. "Arbre Industries?"

"Oh, I know of them. They're very generous donors to the local art community" Clarke says, trying to act like she wasn't going to miss the sheen of sweat that had been glistening in the late winter sun shining in through the window on Lexa's olive skin.

Lexa just smiles as she puts on her down vest.

"What do you do there?"

Lexa zips her jacket and vest, placing her phone in her pocket. "Oh, a little of this and a little of that"

"You're being indirect"

Lexa stands up, smiling. "I'll go into more detail next time"

"Next time?" Clarke stands and grabs her coat.

"Yes. Next time. We're destined to be friends, I think. Don't you?"

"I don't believe in destiny" Clarke frowns as she buttons her coat.

"Well I believe enough for the both of us"

And then, as if it's the most natural thing in the world, Lexa places her hand on Clarke's shoulder and leans in, pressing her cheek to Clarke's and makes a kissing sound. Her lips don't actually touch Clarke's skin, but it takes Clarke by surprise, nonetheless.

Lexa pulls back and squeezes Clarke's shoulder. "Thanks for the tea. I'll see you soon" is what she says before turning and walking away.

\--------------------------------

"And how did that make you feel?"

"I'm not sure. I guess I'm more confused by how it didn't make me feel than how it did"

The woman sitting across from Clarke writes on a large notepad. "How didn't it make you feel?"

Clarke unfolds her hands and puts them palms down on the leather couch, gently stroking the material with her thumbs. "It didn't feel strange. I didn't want to run. It was almost...comforting"

Clarke lets out a sharp breath, as if admitting that had pained her in some way.

"Do you think you're ready to explore a new relationship with..."

"No" Clarke answers quickly, seriously.

"Okay, that's fine. You don't have to be" the woman begins writing on her notepad once more.

"Dr. Polis, I hate it when you do that"

"When I do what?"

"Write things down"

"Clarke, what kind of psychiatrist would I be if I never took notes?"

Clarke just shrugs and throws her head back.

"Tell me why you're frustrated, Clarke"

Clarke shakes her head against the back of the couch. "I don't know!"

"Are you feeling guilty because you enjoyed the company of this woman?"

A pause. "Maybe?"

"Are you worried because you want to see her again?"

"A little"

"What is the worst thing that could happen if you see her again?"

Clarke doesn't want to answer this question. She doesn't want to go down that road. She knows the good doctor is trying to ask her the same question as before but in a roundabout way.

"I'm not ready, Doctor" a little exasperated. "I keep saying that, to everyone, but they keep pushing me. They don't understand how I feel inside, you know? They think I can just move on because some time has passed. They think I'm lonely, but I'm not. I'm trying to focus on raising my child and doing what's best for her. I don't have the time or the will to be with anyone right now. It's like they want me to go out and be a whore and sleep with anyone who pays attention to me. And sure, I miss sex. I really fucking do. But I'm not going to sleep around, because I have Amelia. What kind of role model would I be if I did that? And I'm not ready to be responsible for anyone's heart or ready to love anyone in return. I'm still in love with..."

A buzzer signaling the end of the session goes off, putting an abrupt end to Clarke's rant.

"Well, I think that's the most you've shared in any one session, Clarke. Well done"

Clarke frowns.

"We'll pick this up next week, okay?"

Clarke sighs as she stands up. "Sure"


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa calls Clarke.

"Hello?!"

  
She doesn't expect this kind of greeting. This loud of a greeting. This angry of a greeting. "Clarke, hi, it's Lexa..."

  
"Lexa? I'm sorry, I can't talk right now. Kinda in the middle of a crisis!"

  
"Crisis? Can I help?"

  
"No! No. Not unless you can pull Mary Poppins out of your..." static, followed by silence.

  
Lexa checks to see if the call dropped. "Clarke?"

  
"I'm going to get fired" defeated.

  
"What? Why?"

  
Clarke opens her mouth to answer but then remembers the woman on the other end of the conversation isn't Raven or her mom or anyone she would normally open up to. She's had two, very brief encounters with Lexa. And since sitting with her at Starbucks the week before, they've only had one short, uneventful, text conversation.

  
But because those she usually depends on are unavailable, and Clarke needs to speak to someone, she starts talking.

  
"I was asked to give a talk tonight, to some important donors and senior faculty members. Which is a pretty big deal, since I'm really only a substitute. I think they're testing me, you know? To determine whether or not they want to offer me a permanent position"

  
"Okay. It sounds like something is preventing you from giving this talk. Help me understand so I can be of assistance"

  
"Only motherhood"

  
"I don't follow..."

  
"My babysitter cancelled last minute, Raven's whole family has the flu, and my mother is too far away. There isn't anybody else. I even thought of waking her up and taking her with me, but that would be so unprofessional, not to mention unfair to Amelia"

  
"What about a babysitting service or..."

  
"I can't leave my child with a stranger" Clarke snaps.

  
"Right, no, of course not"

  
Sighs. "I'm sorry, Lexa. I know you mean well"

  
"Clarke..."

  
"I should go. I need to call and tell them I won't be there"

  
"What about me?"

  
"What about you"

  
"I can...babysit"

  
Lexa frowns at the hushed laughter on the other end.

  
"That's sweet of you Lexa, but..."

  
"You said yourself she's asleep. And I'm not really a stranger. Amelia likes me. And I'm...your friend, remember?"

  
Clarke chews on the inside of her cheek. She glances at her laptop with the pile of notes stacked on it, in it the Power Point with over forty slides she worked days to prepare. "I can't ask you to..."

  
"You're not asking, I'm offering"

  
\----------------------------

  
"You look nice" Lexa walks in, sets down a plastic bag and her purse, and gives Clarke a once over.

And then a twice.

  
Clarke tucks stray blonde hair behind her ear and shuts the door. "Thanks"

  
"You might want to hurry and get going, traffic is a nightmare"

  
"Lexa, are you sure you want to do this?"

  
"I'm here, aren't I?"

  
Clarke lifts her coat off the hook of the coat rack. "Yeah, okay, well" slips on her coat, "I wrote down a few things for you, in case she wakes up" hands Lexa a large sheet of yellow pad paper. "But she hasn't woken up during the night for about a month, so you should be fine" pulls her blue scarf off the coat rack and wraps it around her neck. "And there's plenty of frozen milk, and baby food...um..." buttons her coat, "oh, I left all the important numbers..." picks up her laptop bag. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"  
"Yes, I'll be fine" confident. "How much trouble can a little baby be?"

  
\---------------------------------

  
The screams had penetrated the deepest corners of her ear canals and what she used to think was a superior brain, over a half hour ago. Lexa isn't sure if she should be impressed or disturbed that the small being in her arms could carry on with such top level, high-pitched screaming for so long. She paces the bedroom, bouncing Amelia on her hip, because rocking her did not work, nor did shaking every toy she could find in the infant's face.

  
"What are we going to do, Amelia? What do you need?" she asks out loud to the screaming baby.

  
It's while she's looking into watery eyes - blue eyes that are identical to Clarke's - that she remembers the yellow paper. The one she'd wrinkled up and pushed inside her coat pocket, because of course she wouldn't need it.

  
She's down the hall - with a hand inside the coat pocket of the coat she'd hung up after Clarke left - in a flash. She presses the paper to her chest, flattening it with her free hand. The screaming baby grabs at the paper angrily and Lexa has to fight her for it.

  
"Okay, shhh" she comforts, trying to decipher the words which were obviously written in haste. "Bottle..milk...freezer" Lexa mumbles. "Milk!"

  
Lexa walks to the kitchen and opens the freezer. She finds shelves full of small pouches of milk and little else. "Let's see..." she reads the instructions on a pouch and sets out to defrost the milk in a bowl of hot water.

  
"You want milk? Hmm?" Lexa switches Amelia from one hip to the other, only Amelia stiffens her body and won't conform to sit. She begins to slide down Lexa's leg and it takes all of Lexa's strength not to drop her. "Tricky, aren't you" flips the baby around and holds her with her back against her chest. "10 minutes to thaw...10 minutes. What can we do for 10 minutes?" Lexa sees the highchair and decides to try placing the squirming infant in it.

  
After nearly losing the baby twice from sliding down beneath the tray table, Lexa gives up. She reads over the notes again, rolling her eyes at the phone number for poison control, because really, Clarke?

  
"Diaper..." Lexa presses her lips together and side eyes the, now hiccuping through tears, bundle of joy. "You don't need me to change your diaper, do you?"

  
The quivering bottom lip pressed against its upper partner breaks Lexa's heart. And when Amelia buries her head into Lexa's neck, she knows she's done. This baby now holds her heart in the tiny palm of her tiny hand.

  
\-------------------------------

  
_About to start. I'm nervous but excited!_  
_How are things on your end?_  
_Amelia still asleep?_  
_Thanks again!_  
Clarke presses 'send' but doesn't have time to wait for a reply.

  
\--------------------------------

  
"Alright. I can do this..." Lexa reads the instructions on the back of the package of diapers. "I have two Masters degrees and a PhD. I can change a diaper"

  
Amelia, finally calm, and apparently happy now, lays on the changing table, her bare legs sliding up and down as she looks up at Lexa.

  
"Remove the soiled diaper" Lexa glares at the gurgling baby. "There'd better not be anything resembling soil in there" she playfully warns.

  
"Okay, diaper off. Well done, Amelia. Nothing we can't handle"

  
Lexa reads the next step. "Use a wet cloth or baby wipe to clean the soiled areas"

  
Lexa searches the surrounding area for what she needs. "Baby wipes, got 'em!"

  
"And...done"

  
"Ma ma ma ma mama ma"

  
"Yes, I know. You're wondering where your mother is" Lexa opens a clean, folded diaper. "Well, Amelia, your mother is giving a very important talk for some very for important people. And she's going to win them over" studies the instructions and attempts to follow them, "because she's intelligent, and dedicated, and she believes in what she's talking about"

  
Two torn sticky tabs and one backwards diaper later, and she finally gets it right. "Voila!"

  
Snapping Amelia's footy pajamas back together, however, is a different story.

  
\-----------------------------------

  
Amelia pushes the bottle away as Lexa tries to stick it in her mouth. She shakes her head vigorously, evading the nipple every time Lexa gets close with it.

  
"Come on, little blue eyes, you said you wanted milk..."

  
"Ba!"

  
"Yes. Bottle. Now please, drink" Lexa whines. "It's milk. From your mother's breasts"

  
Amelia takes the bottle from Lexa and promptly drops it on the floor.

  
"I see. Well, I suppose it's not quite as good as the real thing, is it. Can't say I blame you"

  
Lexa shifts Amelia to a sitting position in her lap. "Shall we try some food?"

  
\-----------------------------------

  
Clarke locks the front door behind her. She sets down her laptop case, takes off her coat and scarf, slips out of her pumps, and walks into the living room. She was a little concerned after sending two other texts and not hearing back from Lexa.

  
"Lexa?" she calls out quietly.

  
But there's no reply.

  
As she walks down the hallway toward the den, which is doubling as a bedroom for Amelia and herself while renovations are being done, Clarke hears Amelia's lullaby album playing softly. When she walks into the room, she can't help but smile. Once relief washes over her, there's a quick tingle in her heart and stomach at the sight before her. Lexa, sound asleep in the rocking chair, with a stuffed rabbit laying on her chest. Her hand is wedged between two of the dark cherry wooden slats which frame Amelia's crib. And when Clarke walks over to the crib and peeks in, she sees a slumbering baby whose little hand is wrapped tightly around a long index finger.

  
Clarke stares at them for far too long. It's only when she happens to glance at her night table to check the time that she sees the photograph framed in antique silver; the one she looks at every night before she falls asleep and every morning when she wakes up, the one she still hugs and cries over, the one she shows to Amelia every day. A streak of guilt causes her to gently squeeze Lexa's shoulder.

  
"Clarke?" groggy.

  
"Hi" a whisper.

  
"My finger has been taken hostage"

  
Clarke smiles and reaches into Amelia's crib, stroking the sleeping baby's hand. Reflex causes the tiny hand to open, releasing Lexa's finger.

  
"Thanks" Lexa whispers, rubbing her wrist at the points where the wood left indentations.

  
"I'm sorry I'm so late"

  
Lexa gets up from the rocking chair and stretches her long body. Her arms rise above her head, her eyes close, as she leaves the shape of the chair behind and evens herself out.

  
Clarke tries not to watch.

  
She walks out of the room first and waits by the door. Lexa follows.

  
"How did your event go?" Lexa asks when they're back in the living room.

  
"Good, I think" presses her lips together as she nods. "How was Amelia?"

  
"An angel" Lexa smiles, eyes wide.

  
"Did she wake up?"

  
Lexa reaches for her purse and pulls out her phone before answering, "Briefly"

  
Clarke collapses onto the couch and unbuttons her suit jacket. "That's good to hear" she sighs.

  
"I missed your texts, it seems"

  
"Yeah...I was a little worried"

  
"I'm sorry" sits across from Clarke, "I guess I was distracted"

  
"It's easy to forget about everything when you're responsible for a little life, isn't it?"

  
"Very well put"

  
Clarke smiles humbly.

  
Lexa sticks her phone back in her purse. "I...guess I should go"

  
"Oh...right...yeah"

  
Both women stand.

  
"Thanks again. I owe you"

  
Lexa searches for her shoes. " No, you don't. It was my pleasure, Clarke"

  
"Can I pay you...?"

  
Lexa's offended eyes find Clarke's. "No, you may not"

  
An apologetic look receives a forgiving smile.

  
Lexa finds one shoe under the highchair.

  
"Lexa?"

  
"Yes?" Searches under a pile of stuffed animals for her other shoe.

  
"Why did you call me earlier?" She tried not to wonder about it all night, but failed.

  
Lexa locates her shoe's mate. "Oh. I, um..." hops in place as she slips on one shoe. "I had bought entirely too much Cuban food and I called to find out if you cared to help me eat it"

  
"Oh..."

  
"It's in your fridge if you're hungry"

  
Clarke glances at the kitchen. "Did you already eat?"

  
"Mmm, no. Distracted, remember? And then a nice nap" Smiles and winks.

  
Clarke bites her lip as Lexa walks toward the door. "Lexa?"

  
"Hmm?" Grabs her coat.

  
"Do you want to stay...?"

  
Lexa's eyebrows get tugged slowly upward by invisible strings.

  
"To eat" Clarke adds quickly. "I may not be able to cook to save my life, but I am damn good with a microwave"

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Lexa converse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone's wondering, Lexa's last name is French for "tree"

 

"Oh my god" Clarke groans through a mouthful of food, "this is amazing"

  
Lexa looks on, amused, and eating with manners. "I'm glad you're enjoying it" She shifts on her stool, one of the mismatched seats surrounding Clarke's white marble kitchen island.

"So...tell me about the presentation you made. What was it for, exactly?"

  
Clarke swallows a thick bite of food. "Mm-mm. You first. I still don't know anything about your job. Tell me what you do at Arbre"

  
Lexa sips from her water glass and uses her napkin to dab the corners of her mouth. Clears her throat. "I, um...run it"

  
Clarke freezes mid-chew. "Say again?"

  
"I'm C-E-O of Arbre Industries"

  
She stares at Lexa with a cheek full of food. Lexa raises her eyebrows and stares back.

  
"That's like" swallows hard, "a multi-billion dollar enterprise"

  
"Yes"

  
Clarke drinks half the water from her tall glass, and then, "You're Lexa Arbre?"

  
"Yes"

  
"But you just babysat for me..."

  
"...Yes"

  
Clarke shakes her head slowly. "How...I mean, why...?"

  
"You needed help"

  
The simple answer floats in the air for two silent minutes. Clarke picks at her food awkwardly. Lexa straightens on her stool, hands folded in her lap.

  
"Is this a problem for you?" she finally asks.

  
"No" Clarke smiles thinly. "I just feel kind of silly...not knowing who you were...who you are. And I can't believe you wasted three hours of your night watching over my kid"

  
"I wasn't wasting my time at all. And I find it refreshing that you didn't know who I was before now"

  
"Refreshing?" Clarke rolls her eyes. "After I made that comment about Arbre...about YOUR company being a generous donor to the local art community? You must think I'm an idiot"

  
"On the contrary, Clarke"

  
The look of sincerity - and something else Clarke won't allow herself to recognize in gray eyes reflecting the Approaching Storm Blue paint she agonized over choosing - prompts Clarke to suddenly need a new napkin, even though the one next to her plate is unused.

  
It takes Clarke five minutes and two laps around the island to get back to her seat.

  
"Now I've answered your question, can you answer mine?" Lexa requests, and takes a bite of fried plantain.

  
Clarke takes a deep breath. "Right, okay, um. Basically, the presentation was to convince some of the bigger donors that the outreach program the university supports is not a waste of their money"

  
"I see. And what type of outreach program are you talking about?"

  
Clarke scoops black beans and rice into her mouth. "Mm...after-school art program for urban public schools" sips her water. "It just doesn't take that much to put a paintbrush in a kid's hand, you know?" Licks her lips. "The donors think their money should go to support the students at N-Y-U, and that just...pisses me off"

  
Lexa nods for Clarke to continue.

  
"I mean, the university kids are great but they already have everything they need, almost everything is handed to them. They're at N-Y-U for fuck's sake. Why don't the donors see that art is vital to a child's development? The kids in the inner city schools have just as much right to express themselves through art...or some kind of creative outlet. They need it. For some of them it's a lifeline"

  
Lexa can't help but smile at the passion exuding from Clarke.

  
"I hope I got through to them" stabs a piece of meat onto her fork, "I hope I still have a job tomorrow"

  
"Well, you've convinced me, and you spoke for what... one minute? I'm sure they were more than impressed by your presentation"

  
Clarke shrugs. "We'll see"

  
\-----------------------------

  
After dinner, Clarke had invited Lexa to stay, and the conversation flowed freely from the moment they sat down on the couch.

  
"...five different jars of baby food?" The echo of Clarke's laughter bounces between walls, ceiling to floor, and is eventually absorbed by Lexa's skin and soul.

  
"She couldn't decide" Lexa casually defends.

  
Clarke holds her stomach. "Someone has you wrapped around her little finger"

  
Lexa holds her chin high. "I accept that with dignity"

  
As her laughter dwindles into sporadic giggles, Clarke realizes she hasn't laughed with such freedom in a very long time. And she's conflicted.

  
The sudden shift in her demeanor doesn't go unnoticed. Lexa quickly changes the subject, trying to keep a dialogue open.

  
"So, I love the woodwork in this room. It's very...romantic. Is it from the time of authentic construction or was it done recently?"

  
"It's all original. I made sure they preserved it during renovations" picks at nothing on her pants.

  
Lexa gets up to take a closer look. Her fingers trace the curves of the ornate fireplace mantle, the heat from the fire Clarke lit earlier radiates onto her legs. "It's really magnificent. And you said this building has been in your family for some time?"

  
"Yeah, um, my...great, great, great grandfather was an architect. He basically designed this entire block and the two to the east. This brownstone was a gift to his wife, Mary Griffin"

  
Lexa hums her understanding. "It makes sense, now. There is something personal and intimate about this space"

  
Clarke tries not to watch Lexa as she walks slowly around the room appreciating the craftsmanship with curious fingers. She clears her throat and shifts on the couch so her legs are tucked underneath her. A loud pop and crackle from the fireplace startles her momentarily.

  
"Sometimes I think it's haunted" laughs quietly.

  
"Oh?" Lexa settles down in one of two matching chairs opposite Clarke.

  
"I mean, it doesn't scare me in the slightest. If there are spirits here, they're my family. No one but the Griffins have lived here since the beginning"

  
"That's rather beautiful"

  
And Clarke has to look away from the warm smile. From those gray eyes reflecting the colors of fire.

  
"I remember coming here as a little girl. We would spend a week in the city every year, at the end of summer, before school started up"

  
"So you didn't grow up here?"

  
"Mm-mm, no. My grandfather, my dad's dad, he was in the Army and was stationed at Fort Drum. Once he retired, the family stayed there. He wasn't that fond of the city, or so my dad used to tell me"

  
Lexa picks up on key words. "Used to?"

  
"Yes...he passed away when I was ten"

  
"Oh...Clarke, I'm sorry"

  
Clarke smiles through quick memories of her father. "It was a long time ago. And who knows, he might be sitting here next to me. Sometimes I think I feel his presence"

  
"I don't doubt that"

  
Clarke lets out a deep breath - that she may have been holding in since she saw Lexa asleep in the rocking chair.

  
"So how did you end up here?"

  
But that question causes tension in Clarke once more.

  
"You don't need to answer that" apologetic.

  
"That...is a long story" Clarke laughs, though her lips don't turn up.

  
Lexa nods once. She stands and clasps her hands behind her back. "It's late. I've taken too much of your time"

  
"No...Lexa..." Clarke scoots off the couch, pushing off of one foot as she stands. "I'm...you haven't. I...it's..."

  
"You need not explain" Lexa reassures. And she means it.

  
Clarke dips her head, nodding appreciatively.

  
Lexa walks around the antique coffee table. "Thank you for eating reheated food with me. I enjoyed our conversations immensely" long fingers slide over Clarke's shoulder as Lexa leans in and presses her warm cheek to Clarke's. And even though Clarke's mouth is mere millimeters from Lexa's ear, Lexa pretends not to hear the hitch in Clarke's breath.

  
When she pulls back, she smiles a close-lipped smile, squeezes Clarke's shoulder, blinks slowly, and says goodnight.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? I'm open to any and all.


End file.
